Making Sidewalk Paint Cheered Me Up

Okay so I took Simone to the dentist.  It took an hour, she got a cavity filled - all was good.

Since my mother was watching the other kids I thought I'd run to the DMV real quick (that's a joke).  I hate the DMV.  I was just there yesterday to get plates for a van we bought.  I stood in line for 1/2 hour, but I couldn't get the plates cause a paper wasn't signed - Josh had to sign it. That made me want to cry and scream; something about the DMV makes me want to cry like a baby.  Probably because I have to go at least three times for the same thing before I get it right. 

So anyway, I was upset yesterday, but I got over it and attempted to go today.  Waited an hour just to find out again that I couldn't sign a different paper (the other place didn't mention this).  Furious!  I was sooooooooooooooo mad on the way home that I didn't notice the gas light and- YUP- I ran out of gas about five houses away. 

So I walk to my garage to get a gas can, fill up my tank and drive home.  Then all I wanted to do was yell at someone but there was no one to yell at.  I couldn't mope around because there are four kids that needed attention... so...

I went to PINTEREST and found an idea...DIY- Sidewalk Chalk Paint - WHOO Hooo

Just making something fun for the kids cured my blues...

All you need is corn starch and water - equal parts- and some food coloring.

Of course - I had to drag school into their fun!

I brought out their spelling list and told them to write 5 words with the chalk paint

- yes - I laminated their spelling lists!

I told u I am addicted to my laminating machine

Then I turned them loose- I told them to paint the tree and the dirt. 
Which they are doing right now.
And they will all need showers when the evening is over:)

Oh - and Eli can finally swing on a big swing - another sign that my baby is growing up!

Hooray for Multiplication

Once children know how to count by multiples (2,5, 10) they can begin to practice and memorize thier multiplication facts.  Here are some fun ways the kids are learning theirs times tables.

1. I made multiplication cards on cardstock, added a sticker and laminated it. 
2. Simone got Princess and Eddie got superheros (of course). 
3. They write on them with dry erase markers.  When they are finished we check them together - correcting ones that are wrong - and then I erase them with a magic eraser
4. I put a laminated times table chart in a tin schoolbox.  They can use it to help them find the answers to the problems.  Simone likes it because it looks like a computer:) Mostly though, I taught them to count on their fingers by multiples.

 

 

Edison practicing on his flash cards.

Simone Marie with her princess cards.

I also have some multiplication matching cards that I got from
 http://fern-smith.blogspot.com/2011/11/thirteen-christmas-multiplication.html

I laminated the cards and put velcro on them

Piggy Bank Math - Counting Coins

Counting Money is HARD! 
It is very abstract and rarely demonstrated in real life. 
The only thing I use cash for are the donuts we get on Sunday!


So... the kids needed more concrete practice counting coins.

I got this giant Piggy Bank Pocket Chart (Amazon has them for $13)



The first thing I did was laminate all the money because I have a laminating addiction.

Ninja Eddie is counting out money

Since Andre can now count by tens - he is able to
count pennies and dimes!

Simone is counting out $1.43

Flowerpot Bread... It works

So I saw the cutest bread recipe for making bread in terra-cotta pots - which I immediately pinned onto pinterest.  You can read the whole recipe at
http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2012/02/flowerpot-bread-recipe-make-bread-in.html


We tried out the recipe last night and it really works.

1st we coated the pots with Crisco, then we baked them in the oven for an hour at 475. 

JUST TO WARN YOU - this is a stinky process... I asked Josh if their was a problem with the oven because it smelled like a gas leak - but he kindly reminded me that we have an electric stove!

Anyway, after the pots are sealed, you just coat them again with crisco, put your bread dough in it and bake. (time varies on sizes)

Super Cute and Super Yummy!

Yeah! The Chickens are Laying Eggs Again!!!!

Andre and Eddie with the first eggs of the season.

Eddie checked the chicken coop today and there were eggs!!!!

Guess what we made to celebrate.... BROWNIES!!!!

Aunt Solveig and Simone with the brownie batter...

I cheated on the sewing machine with a staple gun

Once I got my beautiful sewing area... everything needed to be just as beautiful! 
I got out my trusty gun... staple gun that is - and started changing everything I could get my hands on!

An old bench that was actually in the Goodwill pile... now it is the extra seat at the kitchen table.

Simone's Hello Kitty chair for her school table in the basement.

I am going to be painting this black... but it looks so much better already.

Eli's little stool - he LOVES spiderman (I think this needs to be painted too)

I painted all 5 kitchen chairs a different color.  I put new fabric over the existing seat... and then I covered it in plastic!
The oatmeal and syrup and peanut butter wipes clean off :)

Valentine's Love

My Dear Husband LOVES me!!! and the proof's in the pictures...

For Valentine's day he made me my very own real sewing area!



The paint is some oops paint from both Home Depot and Lowe's.

The Mirrored Vanity went from trash
to FAB with only one coat of paint!

Josh screwed the lids to the mason jars into the ledge.

Although I painted and recovered the chair,
Josh cut the legs for me so my feet could touch the ground!

Josh screwed an old countertop to an old cabinet. 
Then he secured it to the wall so the sewing machine wouldn't shake it.

Josh even tiled the floor me and hung a chalkboard and dry erase board.



Underneath the stairs - the kids secret hideout. 


Thank you HUNNY BUNNY! I love you!!!!